To think everyone who uses email in their work should learn how to manage it effectively?

[FireworksAndSparklers]

I'm so tired of colleagues and managers never replying to emails until days (sometimes weeks) later, usually with the excuse that they have hundreds of unread emails backed up.

I just think there's no need for it. Find a strategy that works for you and do it. Don't just let your emails back up without dealing with them. It's rude and it's counter-productive for both your own efficiency and that of the people you work with.

I know my own strategy wouldn't work for everyone, but I would never just ignore an important part of my work because I haven't taken the time to figure out a system for managing it.

AIBU or is it ok to just let your emails build up and up and leave correspondents hanging for ever for responses?

Because the tools available don't work all that well

I get a ton of junk in the inbox but have to go through all junk folders every so often to avoid missing stuff from key external contacts

So I do cherry pick what I read and what I answer

If they're taking weeks to reply, how important was your email in the first place?

Gosh that stings.
My situation is that I am told I need their direct involvement in projects, my work gets paused waiting for their consent. I send them 1000-8000 word long technical documents to comment on (documents meant to be 1000-8000). They may work for another organisation & I am usually below them in the hierarchy (& far below in salary), so I can't tell them or their organisation how to prioritise their time. I should add, some have hideous diaries, wall to wall meetings. Others of course I can't see their diaries, since not my same organisation. One group I could see their diaries but they would get very huffy if I suggested a meeting time directly to make progress, they wanted me to ask via their admin person who was very inefficient and often didn't reply. Again, everyone is senior to me & the collaboration works on 'good will' so I can't tell them to do different.

I spend ages trying to write emails well to be clear & concise about what I'm asking for. Some people get offended if you don't put social niceties in emails, though, I grit my teeth trying to compose brief social niceties.

Our organisation official advice is to have no email sorting at all but instead to use search function to find emails on topics. The colleagues I know who follow that advice are the very worst for missing important emails & insisting you never told them something.

Some people get offended if you don't put social niceties in emails, though,

Those people should be given concrete shoes and sent to swim in the Mersey. It's an email, not a wedding invitation.

Our organisation official advice is to have no email sorting at all but instead to use search function to find emails on topics.

The day that my employer tries to micromanage my mailbox like that is the day I quit and sue for constructive dismissal on the basis of them creating an undignified environment.

In my experience people who expect immediate responses to emails are mad and quite demanding. Most people reply to stuff that's urgent quite quickly and if it is urgent its not put in an email it's happening.

I think we do the same job lol - emergency services? If so I feel your pain as do lots of of colleagues off with stress because this exact thing has broken them.

@VitoCorleoneOfMNMafia
The day that my employer tries to micromanage my mailbox like that is the day I quit and sue for constructive dismissal on the basis of them creating an undignified environment.
Which is hilarious since the entire thread is full of people wanting to micromanage their colleagues' inboxes.

I agree with this, and take the view that dealing with email is not a job, or even part of my job. It’s a tool to help me do my job. Don’t be a slave to it.

Email is useless for anything collaborative because people (like the OP maybe) see their job having been done by throwing the task over the wall via email to someone else. Whereas I find a more efficient way of getting someone’s input on something that needs their input is to speak / call / message them to quickly talk it through and get their buy in to their part of the task. Then follow up if necessary with an email or a link to the document.

Also, be targeted in what you want people to do. Sending me an 8,000 word document asking for input will not get a response. Call / message me and say you have a document than needs my input in areas a,b and c and set the context, and then I can set aside 15/30/60 minutes to review and respond, at a time convenient to me. Too many people see email as a way of shifting responsibility for a task to someone else without their consent or need to talk about it.